Automatic release-coupling



L. ROBERTON. AUTOMATIC RELEASE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.22, 1920.

Patented Oct. 26,1920

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ATTORNEYS.

LLOYD BOIBERTON, 0F UTICA, MINNESOTA.

AUTOMATIC RELEASE-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 001326, 1920.

Application filed March 22, 1920. Serial No. 367,660. I I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LLOYD ROBERTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Utica, in the county of \Vinona and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Release- Couplings, of which the following is a speci-;

fication. I

My invention relates to automatic release couplings and an object is to provide a releasable device forconnecting a tractor or other draft appliance to agricultural implements such as plows so that in case thelatter strike an unyielding ob' ject, breaking of the implement or connections is avoided.

T he full objects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof andjthe novel features embodied in my inventive idea will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,'

Figure 1 is a top plan view. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevational view showing the coupling in locked position. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the coupling in unlocked position. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line etof Fig. 2. I

Referring to the construction shown in thedrawings, the numeral 10 designates a casting or main member having an offset portion 12 provided with a horizontal hole through which a draft bolt 14 extends. The front portion of this bolt is surrounded by astiil' compression spring 16 which is located between the offset portion 12 and a nut 18 on the end of the bolt. The head of the bolt, designated at 20, is enlarged on 1 its lower side and contains a recess having an open'bottom and also having an open side adapted to be closed by a latch 22 rotatably mounted on a bolt 24:. A releasable yoke 26 has a lug 28 on one end adapted to be held in the recess contained in the head 20 by the latch 22 when the other end of the yoke is engaged in a recess 30 in the lower portion of the main member 10. The front of the main member 10 is provided with a slot 32 for receiving the drawbar 34:, which is secured to the member 10 by a pivot bolt 36.

The operation and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the foregoing description. The yoke 26 is connectedby a ring 38 to a plow or other implement, and

-in case the latter strikes an obstruction such as a stump or stone with sufficient force to compress the spring 16 to about the extent indicated in Fig. 3, then the lower end of,

the yoke 26 pulls out of the recess 30 and the yoke is released. It will be understood that the spring 16 is stiff enough to withstand the customary pull' on the implement but this spring will become compressed to release the yoke before there is liability of breaking any of the parts.

In order to restore the yoke to its engaging position the latch 28 is lifted, whereupon the'lower end of the yoke is placed in the recess 30 and the lug 28 is placed in the recess in the head 28. Upon turning down the latch the yoke'is securely held in place until released in the manner previously described.

I claim: 7 y I 1. An automatic release coupling comprising a main member, a draft bolt ex tending through said member, a compression spring surrounding one end portion of said bolt, a head on the other end portion of said bolt, and a yoke member having a lug on one end thereof adapted to fit into a re cess in said head, the other end'of said yoke member being adapted to fit into a recess in said main member whereby said yoke member will be released from said member when said spring is compressed. 1

2. An automatic release coupling comprising a main member, a draft bolt extending through said member, a compressionspring surrounding one end portion of said bolt, a head on the otherend portion of said'bolt, and ayoke member having a lug on one end thereof adapted to fit into a recess in said head, the other end of said yoke memher being adapted to fit into a recess in sald main member whereby said yokermemher will be released from said member when said spring is compressed, and a catch on said bolt head permitting insertion of sald lug into its recess.

In testimony whereof I- hereunto affix my signature. 1

LLOYD ROBERTON. 

